How Young is Too Young to Babysit?

Parents across the country are talking about the 11-year-old babysitter in Sandy Springs charged with murdering a 2-year-oldgirl this week. Some are asking if it's wise to leave a child in the care of an 11-year-old. Time magazine tries to answer this question.

It looks like there are enough 11-year-olds babysitting that the American Red Cross has a course designed for 11 to 15-year-olds, teaching things like how to keep kids safe and how to handle emergencies.

Time reports there doesn’t seem to be any government regulation on babysitting. But, Sittercity.com, a site that links parents with prospective sitters, insists that sitters must be at least 18 to be mature and responsible enough to take care of children safely.